Dallas is one of the worst matchup nightmares in recent history:There's Dirk Nowitzki – Larry Bird + 3 ½ inches.You've got Josh Howard who is too long, too quick, too smart, and generally too good for any single defender.Then everyone else on the court services his role – Erick Dampier creates space and Devin Harris draws in the defense with penetration.Then, coming off the bench, there's Jason Terry:A 50% FG shooter who never really makes a bad decision in halfcourt play, and has been hitting considerably better than 40% from the arc since he got to Dallas.I'm not entirely sure what Eddie Jones gives them -- his defense is solid, but not what it was ten years ago.

Given the circumstances, the Clippers play a decent game, even on the defensive end where Dallas hits at a 55% clip. These things happen when you assign Tim Thomas, then Paul Davis, then – with no other recourse -- Cuttino Mobley to handle Nowitzki.This isn't a knock on the coaching staff because I don't have any other suggestions other than this might have been a nice opportunity to give Josh Powell some minutes because Nowitzki is a natural assignment for him – an opposing PF who plays off the block most of the time.But the problem with Josh Powell is that…he's Josh Powell and not someone who can do anything to help a basketball team on the other end.

Except for hitting their open looks, I don't know what else the Clips can do here.They do a good job of swinging the ball side-to-side against a very, very long defensive squad. They cut it to within three in the 3rd with a nice ball reversal.Given what Dallas throws at him, Kaman handles the double-teams well – six turnovers notwithstanding.He finishes the game with five assists.At the close of the first half with about :45 seconds left, Dallas sends a quick, feverish double-team at Kaman – Josh Howard joining Dampier -- up against the baseline.Everyone makes a nice decision here:The instant Howard moves off Corey from the weak side to pick up the double, Corey slides down the lane.He's immediately picked up there by Nowitzki, who has moved off Thomas…but Harris has now rotated over on TT.So this leaves Brevin Knight as the open guy.It's a tough find for Kaman, who is trapped against the baseline, but he manages to dart the ball over to Knight.With Harris closing, Knight hits the jumper.

With the exception of San Antonio, Dallas has the best defensive rotation in the West.But the Clips do everything they can to work a shot, and they succeed.It's not impossible to do this on every set, but for a team without a lot of good defensive options, it requires precision.But, for the most part, the Clippers accomplished that tonight…they just can't hit their open looks.Still, strange as it sounds, I thought this was one of the Clippers' better games of the season.

Highlight of the night:[1st, 1:05]Mike Smith on Chris Kaman: "That's when you know you're a superstar, Ralph.When you can go kibitz with the referees."

Pronounced "KEE-boots"

Trust me when I tell you that Mike Smith is the singularly most goyische life form in the universe. It's endearing.

We have launched a new ClipperBlog.com site! You are currently on our old system & are viewing an archived page. We will continue to keep all 670 posts from our first 3 years on this archive site. Soon we will be closing the comments for each of these older posts.

Comments

as clipsnation.com pointed out, kaman would have possibly had a triple double if he had any help at all. i've said it before and i'll say it again. mike dunleavy is turning chris kaman into arvydas sabonis. dunleavy also coached vlade divac with the lakers. dunleavy knows how to develop big men. coach deserves a lot of credit for that.

One of the better games, I agree. We just can't hit our freakin' jumpers. Dunleavy needs to put on a mid-season shooting clinic for everyone of these knuckleheads during christmas break. 2000 shots a day. Knight is good when hes on the floor, but Dickau creates more individual offense. Didn't we already have that last year with Hart? Tim Thomas and Maggette stunk. Our big push should be to try to get a scorer/defender for Maggs before the all star break. I love hating to love this team.

we can't get better than that for corey? and who'se playing pg for the cavs if they trade gibson? it would make more sense if sam was part of the deal. the more i think about it, the cavs should do it. it's their only way of getting a decent player to put next to lebron, acquiring corey's bird rights b/c they're too good to draft a stud and have no cap space. i guess we'll see.

So Pavlovic is here for a year and we develop Gibson who is the next Shanon Anderson? Not enough.

But Maggs has got to go. Nice guy, but he's an Odom. 3rd or fourth option on a team. Not the first or second.

Sadly, is anyone actually finding themselves rooting for Cassell to get bought out so he can go to the Celtics? He did so much here in his short time, would love for him to have a chance to end his career on a high note. (And he'd certainly help them more than Payton).

Magette leaving? Hmmm, no comment there. But I do agree that this was one of the better games for the Clippers - you have to take it from the POV that Dallas is a good defensive team.
Mike
Go <a href=http://laclippersonline.org >Clippers</a>!